Justin Strudler's Blog

Illness vs School

About two weeks ago I had a sore throat compounded by a stuffy nose, a cough and a headache. I had a sinus infection and I was thrilled. I’m not someone who enjoys feeling sick and I’m not someone who loves getting sympathy, so why was I happy about being sick?

I’m sure you already know why. I was happy to be sick because it meant I got to miss school!

We all know people who get excited to see there temperature rise above 100 degrees. We all know people who fake sick to get out of school. In fact, who hasn’t seen Ferris Bueller’s day off? The question is, why would kids rather suffer and lie than have to endure 6-7 hours at school?

The reality is that when someone hates something, they don’t want to do it! This is not rocket science. The other point that isn’t rocket science is that if people hate something, it should be changed. I know these conclusions are obvious, but people just shrug kids’ complaints off as laziness. Parents say “we went theough with it”, but in saying that they admit that school wasn’t something that they liked.

On another hand, school also causes sickness. Not just the depression and the mental sickness that comes with school but also the physical sickness that comes from keeping kids in seats instead of playing on the field. Or the stomach aches and headaches that go along with stress. In fact, it isn’t an understatement to say that school is a sick place.

Even with this knowledge, people still rationalize this version of school as necessary. Parents, teachers, even principals I urge you not to shrug off your child’s complaints. They aren’t being lazy. They are being humans. They are alive. Don’t stifle their living by forcing them to go to a place they hate. Don’t let their curiosity go to waste. Listen to their complaints. Learning can change, school doesn’t have to be this way.